Directions

1Heat oven to 350°F. Place foil baking cup in each of 16 regular-size muffin cups. In small bowl, mix cookie crumbs and melted butter. Divide crumb mixture among cups. With back of spoon, firmly press cookie crumbs in bottom of each foil cup.

2In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually beat in 1 cup granulated sugar and the cocoa until fluffy. Beat in vanilla and food color. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well blended. Divide batter evenly among baking cups (cups will be almost full).

4In chilled small bowl, beat whipping cream and sugar with electric mixer on high speed until stiff. Spoon whipped cream on chilled cheesecakes. Just before serving, garnish with chocolate curls. Cover and refrigerate any remaining cheesecakes.

Tips

Cheesecake freezes beautifully! Wrap airtight and freeze up to 5 months. Thaw in the original wrapping in the fridge 2 to 4 hours.

Place a bar or block of chocolate on waxed paper. Make curls by pressing firmly against the chocolate and pulling a vegetable peeler toward you in long, thin strokes. Small curls can be made by using the side of the chocolate bar. Transfer each curl carefully with a toothpick to a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet or directly onto cheesecake. Don’t have time to make chocolate curls? Sprinkle whipped cream with baking cocoa.